Diaphragm structure



Oct. 18,1927- H, J. wADpELL DIAPHRAGK STRUCTURE Filed Sept. 2. 1925 JymfrJu/ddez wund' q1,

68h01 ne Patented Oct. 18, 1927.

g UNITED s'rA .TaSv

Homan a. WADDELL, oFJBAL'rIMoR-n ,forr1o, Assienoar n nnc'ry AnnMnsNn'As'! SIGNMENTS, To THE GAS APPLIANCE MANUFACTUMNG co., or ,BAL'rrMonmonioj y A CORPORATION or oHio.

DIAIEIIRJLGrMY STRUCTURE. -4

Appncanonvfuea september 2, 1925. yserial No. 53,994;

This invention relates toimprovement-s in diaphragms of the type l"employed in con-V nection with gas flow*recordingmeters, and

an 'object'of the invention Visto provide a diaphragm especially adapt-ed for this serv-- iceand'embodying improved features of construction and design by means of'w'hich the life of the diaphragm isrc'onsiderably prolonged, 'as comparedv to the forms Vhitherto usedand Whereinthe operation of thediaphra'gm is substantially uniform throughout its life so as to preserve the accuracyand 1` reliability of the recording meter in which it is embodied.

lith the-sc and other objects in view, as will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel features of construction, .combinations of elements and arrangements of parts hereinafter to be fully described and pointed out in the appendedclaims.' 1 l yIn the accompanying drawingz' Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view taken through a portion ofV a gas flow recording meter, and illustrating the improved diaphragm structure comprising thepresent in-v vention in an operativey position therein,

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view on the plane indicated by the line 22 i Figure Sis an enlarged vertical 'sectional View of a portion ofthe diaphragm struc' ture, illustrating the latter in one extreme of its operating positions,

Figure is a similarview disclosing the' diaphragm atthe extreme of its other operating positionls,

Referringmore particularly tothe draW-. ings the numeral 1 designates generally the casing of'a gas flow recording meter and in this instance the casing is of the type employing cast metal vouter Walls,- in 'contrast'.

to sheet metal casings employed upon gas meters used in indoor service; "Thecasing as shown comprises a drum` shaped body section 2 and one'or more cover sections 8, the sections 2 and 3 being provided 'With fad-k joining out-turned flanges 1, between which is'V situated and clamped vthe diaphragm structure -5 kcomprising the present invention. This structure is disposed so as to divide the casing into spaced gas flow cham bers 6 and. 7 which by means of the custype. f

tomary valve mechanism -and portsl(n'ot y shown) aremin communication With the -recordingl housing 8 disposed atV the upper siderr v` of. the -ca'sing-. wSince the kspecific#construcl` tion! of meters of vthis type #is commonfand- `Well understood, itjis not"deemednecese saryorA advisable to enterr intoja'-yfurthe`rdetail' description of 'their constructionfand operation, since the vpresent invention isco'n cerned with the design of the diaphragml structure and 'does not eectin' anyg'otheiy Way the general operation ofmetersio'fthis In the presentinstance the diaphragm"V- inner, outer and intermediate sections/'9,10 'i and .11 respectively, and, as shown, the in-` ner section is formed preferably 'from sheet metal so as to present a rigid, inflexible vkyet lightweight body to the gas pressures With- 1n the casing. The peripheral edge of the; section 9 is providedA with an annularly grooved flange 12 extending longitudinally with respect to the axis ofthe diaphragmstructure. The intermediate section of .the diaphragm structure is preferably formed from Aa tough, durable :yet flexible material such as leather, which remains Vuneifecteil by prolongedcontactiwith the chemical'con-f' stituents of the gas flowing through the meter. The innerperipheral edge of thein. termedi'ate section is inturned as at 13y so yas; to engage ywith the outer ysurfaceofthc flange 12 and is secured thereto in this instance bymeans of a tautly Wrapped binllY ing cable 111, which serves to draw'the inner edge of the intermediate section into lthe annular groove of the-flange 12 `and to s`e-v curely retain the same in afseatedandiim' movable position therein. `The axial portion of the inner section 9 ofthe diaphragm is connected as at 15 with the usual record#` ing operating frame 1 6, so that as the inner section of the diaphragm `pulsatespin"re-y sponse to unbalanced fluidpressures onop posite sides thereof, the frame 16 Willbe moved to` operate the recording mechanism in the usual manner.'r i

In prior forms of diaphragm 'structures lit has' been customary to extend the .flexible leathersection vso that `4the outenperipheral portion thereof is clamped between the'body' and cover sections 2'Wandk3 ofl'thefcasing. In

structure isformed to*comprisesessentially` other Words the leatherinaterial, constituting the flexible. section is extended to con fastening elements 17 used in unitingthe coverk section with the body section of theV casing, the leather is placed under compression to retain the diaphragm 1n place. Observation has disclosed that When the leather or fiexible section of thediaphragm is thus pliedithereto and: thechemical action ofthe` ,metal` on the leather, results in the rapidE deterioration; of the flexible. section of` the` diaphragm, causing' said Y flexible-,section :toi harden; and l to become relatively brittle, ,not only` adjacent those-i portions located', between. the. fia-ngesA .but also; Well into the inner por tions of the flexiblesection of the-diaphragm.

Iti wasil 'Well Vunderstood and `very common` inthis` arti prior tothe discovery of thisin- Vention to. impregnate. the. leatheriof the` diaphragm.. with@ a limited amount. of.. oil or-` lother lubricant, sufficient to protect the leatherfi from. rapid.l deterioration by Vpro- `longedt contact-'Withthe gas, andfconsider-` able eforthas been" made todevise the best quality of. oil for this purpose,.and yet in thistype. ofmeter Wherethe diaphragm is common to tWo measuring chambers, the leather is, necessarily stretched to its full extent Whiclrcauses the. outer partof. the le-athenzi,e.,.the.part adjacent to the metal casing to fold-and unfold, and'` thisV constant` folding and unfolding will causethe lubricantl to. escape through thefpartof the. leather clamped b etwveenthe casingd members, unless proper Aprovision is. made. to prevent that. Furthermore, a. certain `amount i of capillary attraction in 1 the i type off diaphragm heretofore used'has permitted the oil'toescape, but` with, this improvedarrangementand method. the lubricant. is.` retained Within the.` measur` ing chamber andisnot exposed` to the. outlside atmosphere, .4 thereby minimizing the. evaporation.an-dfpreyenting theaction ofthe. capillary attraction. Iflthis lubricant `is not.

retained theV leatherV Will. necessarilyy tighten up., which willA tend to shorten theV stroke: of"

thefdiaphragm,thereby rendering theinstrin ment inaccurate and. unsatisfactory, beside shortening..- the, life, ofthe. diaphragm. itself. Asia. result of" this: condition, andlalso. due to the constant pulsating action of' the dia.- phragni, `the leather brealisand craclis. so that gas` flowA occurs between `the chambers 6` and". 7 throughthe 'diaphragm structure, resultingtherebyv in gasfiovv from the meter which has not been recorded. To overcome this conditionI provide the inflexible `outer section 10` of the` diaphragm7 the latter in this` instance consists of aimetallic `ring rWhich conforms to tlie'outside diameter and shape of' the flanges inthe.V said ring being perforatedlas at`18'so as to align with the perforathe latter in secured relation` Within1 thefan-A y' Y nular groove providedin the frangef 20.

Invview of. the foregoing itwill be; seen` that the l present. invention provides. av diaf phragmA particularly. adapte-d. for use. in` corn,-` nect-iorn with` gras.V iioW recording meters. Whereinbut a minimum. ofl. flexible material is utilized inthe construction thereof; Refi erencel to` flanges 3. and 4 .would disclose. that the flexibleisection of the` diaphragm is only of. such. area as. to provide forthe. proper strolte of. the diaphragm.. Thev remaind'erof the diaphragm is of metallic construction and isfthereforenot subject to. thesamefwear andi ydeterioration as. is. the fiexible section. One of the outstanding features of thepresent ,design is the marked reduction. inthe amount of4 leather utilized, aslhitherto itV has been customary to extendtlie leather over the full area of the diaphragm. In the present instance only but a: smallproportion ofl the area` off the. diaphragm is utilizedr by the flexible. section. `Again, the manner of. connecting the inner Vandfouter edges of; the flexible sections Withz'tlie. flanges 12andl20' complete freedom andi play of movement is" given to theflexiblejsectionso that. the latter Will flex. andrbendlfnaturally and easily, yvvithf out strain or distortion which is so strongly characteristic. of. previous forms of" diaphragms. wherein the leather is directly clamped totheA casing.` Moreover, by the.V

provision of the metallic outer section. ofi.

ingran outer ring'member ofi rigidlmaterial y secured between the adjacentiy'walls: ofsaid"` casing and cover section, said. ring member beingA fbrmed lto include, anu inturned flange lying closelyadjacent" to and parallely with the inner Walls of said diaphragm chamber, an inner disk member of rigid material formed to include a peripheral flange, and a body of flexible connecting material secured to the flanges ot said ring and disk members, said material possessing but sutlicient area to admit of the employment ot' a disk member of large diameter and displacement cominensurate with the length of the operating Stroke of the disk member from one side to the other oi' the plane of the outer ring member.

2. In a gas meter, a casing including a diaphragm chamber open at one end, a removable cover section closing the open end of said chamber, a diaphragm structure formed to occupy said chamber and embody ing an outer ring member of rigid material secured between the adjacent walls of said casing and cover section, said ring member including an inturned flange extending away from said cover section and lying closely adjacent to and parallel with the inner Wall of said diaphragm chamber, an inner disk member of ri id material formed to include a peripheral ange, and a body of a flexible connecting material secured to the respective flanges of said ring and disk members and serving to movably support said inner disk member to admit of travel thereof to one side or the other oi' the plane ot' said outer ring, said body of flexible material possess ing limited area to admit of the employment of a disk member of large diameter and diseA placement but not so limited as to eli'ect detriinentally the desired length of the operating stroke olf said disk member. i

3. In a gas meter, a casing including a diaphragm chamber open at one. end, a removable cover section connected with said casing and closing the open end of said chamber, a diaphragm structure formed to occupy and transversely divide said chamber, said diaphragm structure embodying a cylindrical ring member of a rigid material provided with a flange secured bet-Ween the adjacent walls of said casing and cover section, said ring member possessing an inside diameter whereby the inner peripheral portion thereof terminates immediately adjacent to the wall of said diaphragm chamber, an inner diskmember, and ah body of a ilexible connecting material secured to the outer peripheral portion of said disky member and f the outer peripheral portion of said ring member, the area of said flexible material being limited to admit ol the employment of a disk member of maximum diameter.

l. In a gas meter, a casing 'including a diaphragm chamber open at one end, a re- Vmovable cover section closing theopen end extending toward said'cover section, and al body of a flexible connecting material secured to the anges of said ring and disk members, said material possessing but suffiv cient area to admit of lthe employment of a disk member of maximum diameter and displacement but without interfering with the operating stroke of said disk member.

Intestimony whereof I aixmy signature.

HoMnR JL WADDELL. 

